﻿News Releaseshttp://business.garnerchamber.com/news/
News Releases for Garner Chamber of Commercehttp://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/let-s-welcome-dale-carnegie-training-to-the-chamber
Let's Welcome Dale Carnegie Training to the ChamberFor over a century, Dale Carnegie has been improving individual and business performance around the world. While our training techniques continue to evolve, our core principles remain true to a single vision: real transformation begins within. To learn more, visit <a href="https://www.dalecarnegie.com/locations/central-eastern-north-carolina/en/">https://www.dalecarnegie.com/locations/central-eastern-north-carolina/en/</a>.http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/welcome-to-the-chamber-beautiful-lives-project
Welcome to the Chamber, Beautiful Lives ProjectThe Garner Chamber is pleased to welcome the Beautiful Lives Project as a new member. This non-profit organization&nbsp;gives people with disabilities the opportunity to actively participate in activities and events that may not have been available to them previously due to physical or facility limitations. They work with communities, organizations, groups, and individuals to create, build, and expand programs, ensuring an immersive and enriching experience for all participants. These programs include athletics, performing arts, visual arts, nature and wellness.&nbsp;Be sure to visit their website for more information: <a href="https://www.beautifullives.org/">https://www.beautifullives.org/</a>http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/open-house-meeting-on-u-s-401-planned-for-thursday-aug-16
Open-House Meeting on U.S. 401 Planned for Thursday, Aug. 16<h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color:#B22222;">NCDOT NEWS RELEASE: Open-House Meeting on U.S. 401 Planned for Thursday, Aug. 16</span></h2>
<h2>&nbsp;</h2>
<em><strong><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;">THE FOLLOWING NEWS RELEASE WAS ISSUED BY NCDOT:&nbsp;</span></strong></em><br />
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The N.C. Department of Transportation is proposing to reconstruct a busy stretch of Fayetteville Road (U.S. 401) near the Walmart in Garner into a superstreet design that is intended to reduce traffic delays and the risk of crashes, and is looking for public input on the proposal.<br />
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The department proposed the project to improve the safety of the road, which had 366 crashes involving more than 200 injuries in a recent five-year analysis. &nbsp;The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, which includes representatives of Wake County and its municipalities, also supports the project. The proposal received favorable scores and was funded through the department&rsquo;s Strategic Mobility Formula, which prioritizes projects based on safety, congestion, benefit-cost and local priorities.<br />
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Under the proposal, Fayetteville Road would get a raised median and an additional lane in each direction between its intersection with Farm/Old Stage roads south of Walmart to just south of the highway&rsquo;s intersection with Garner Station/Mechanical boulevards.<br />
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NCDOT will hold an informal open house from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at Ernest Myatt Presbyterian Church at 4926 Fayetteville Road, where transportation officials will show the preliminary design maps, answer questions and collect comments. People may attend anytime, as no formal presentation will be given.<br />
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A&nbsp;<a data-auth="NotApplicable" href="http://email.prnewswire.com/wf/click?upn=wY6wRqWSwZ2Suk9epsTEgkJ0lnS8bmlVPvB-2F6Tok8ycwIsLSzXUdwo7ggXcewK8YzMYUDkEsRTxIBp9RGCCFQFh1xbNxr2kzcmEh9OiL4lpuWSafxb3x4C-2FBylIXXv-2Brazi3z-2BUAfacH7arPWkvzpYXrVpZi7Ir-2BIwoiL7iETwDU9YbGzlGOmNHx0VGUmr219yki1tG2W4kKq5oBVQnUlWFFs-2F2Ar9UuEJ9ibn-2FY79FgtFpI20IfRFMj4RVIB87f_uhM-2F0J3eVzqksF5OOqY7-2Bhadw61sA-2FMazxsURcE4cINbuOAb8kFp9bdQpWam7-2FJOWJLYHJHWX1B28mwGjEFc7wY-2BMRUZ-2FyI0BU3VzzwiamwoatU1HsRnc-2FoGDmHjIssv3VdLsPglNzpH5VsePt7NGawrZrSV1KLddcfSEaYdV-2Fbz4EAGqt57AMe9-2BTZ6KKA0SauveVsGzRjlZllwbr5XaLsmTemYeiZjNAyxtzumMoWcGmgO3-2F-2BTMhuTPjMmR4pm77q9ASbgB0EBH-2FoWl1ZbjPAq27nNMOlarnYggs-2F5bnHi2b7031Xg285UwBHC8-2F7u" target="_blank">superstreet</a>, which the department is using more commonly around the state to improve safety, redirects traffic from the side streets and business driveways into turning right; a motorist desiring to cross the road or go in the opposite direction will take a U-turn at designated areas.<br />
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The design is safer because it reduces the opportunities for vehicles crossing several lanes of traffic to collide with other vehicles. The design also will reduce delays on Fayetteville Road during peak travel time and accommodate expected growth in traffic. On the average day, the road carries about 48,000 vehicles &ndash; a figured expected to jump to 67,000 vehicles a day by 2040.<br />
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&ldquo;This design will be safer for the people using this road every day, and it will keep the traffic moving,&rdquo; said Ben Upshaw, a project engineer for the department&rsquo;s Highway Division 5.<br />
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The public can get more information about the project at this&nbsp;<a data-auth="NotApplicable" href="http://email.prnewswire.com/wf/click?upn=wY6wRqWSwZ2Suk9epsTEgkJ0lnS8bmlVPvB-2F6Tok8ycwIsLSzXUdwo7ggXcewK8YzMYUDkEsRTxIBp9RGCCFQFh1xbNxr2kzcmEh9OiL4lpuWSafxb3x4C-2FBylIXXv-2Brazi3z-2BUAfacH7arPWkvzpYXrVpZi7Ir-2BIwoiL7iETwDU9YbGzlGOmNHx0VGUmr219yki1tG2W4kKq5oBVQnUlUTRkwYSMe2o408WBEohu3otfZb0qFO9wI7Y5VG6e9E3_uhM-2F0J3eVzqksF5OOqY7-2Bhadw61sA-2FMazxsURcE4cINbuOAb8kFp9bdQpWam7-2FJOWJLYHJHWX1B28mwGjEFc7wY-2BMRUZ-2FyI0BU3VzzwiamwoatU1HsRnc-2FoGDmHjIssv3VdLsPglNzpH5VsePt7NGawrZrSV1KLddcfSEaYdV-2Fb91tenRn7CMnwwT970KzpJOWsBPhdgVrOrC0n4NWWNlun2yQyOU0xVWh6BI5hLVHwtKiAo7pH8-2B3s1J8OUQQKHV0pT7648HJq-2BqcG9afnwaCbxY9JGiNZOdnM6lPh-2FfnUqZXED2cGEL7Q5t2LCSv1r" target="_blank">NCDOT website</a>.<br />
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Public comments will be accepted through Aug. 31. They may be sent to either NCDOT Project Manager John Braxton at 919-707-6219 or <a href="mailto:jwbraxton@ncdot.gov">jwbraxton@ncdot.gov</a>; or Consultant Project Manager Cyndy Yu Robinson at 919-239-7142 or <a href="mailto:cyndy.yu.robinson@aecom.com">cyndy.yu.robinson@aecom.com</a>.<br />
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NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who wish to participate in this meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Lauren Putnam at <a href="mailto:lnputnam1@ncdot.gov">lnputnam1@ncdot.gov</a> or 919-707-6072.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
People who speak Spanish and do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request prior to the meeting by calling 1-800-481-6494.<br />
&nbsp;http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/news-release-8-10-2018
Amazon Chooses Garner for New Facility<h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><strong><span style="color:#B22222;">Amazon Chooses Garner for New Facility</span></strong></h2>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><strong><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">2.6-Million-Square-Foot Distribution Center to be Located at Former ConAgra Site</span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Post Date: 08/10/2018 10:50 AM<br />
(Artitst rendition below)<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Town of Garner officials are hailing Amazon&rsquo;s selection of the Garner Technology Center as the location for a new 2.6-million-square-foot, state-of-the-art distribution center.<br />
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The Seattle-based e-commerce company will invest approximately $200 million in the site on Jones Sausage Road, formerly the location of the ConAgra plant where a deadly explosion occurred in June 2009. The investment will create an estimated 1,500 jobs, making the distribution center Garner&rsquo;s largest employer. Amazon hopes to open the center by fall 2019.<br />
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The e-retailer&rsquo;s investment in Garner will be approximately four times the amount of peak investment by ConAgra at the site, while the number of employees at the facility will be several hundred more than peak employment at the ConAgra plant.<br />
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&ldquo;This is a historic day for Garner. Today will be remembered as the day that Garner entered a new era of prosperity and opportunity,&rdquo; Mayor Ronnie Williams said. &ldquo;Amazon&rsquo;s selection of this site is an important milestone for our town as we continue to move forward after the ConAgra tragedy.&rdquo;&nbsp;<br />
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Town Manager Rodney Dickerson noted that the new investment at the site will help the Town move closer toward a 50-50 balance of commercial and residential tax base.<br />
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&ldquo;As a result of this major new investment in our community, our citizens will have to shoulder less of the tax burden in the years ahead,&rdquo; Dickerson said. &ldquo;I commend the work of the Town Council and staff in enhancing the Town&rsquo;s long-term fiscal stability.&rdquo;<br />
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The Town Council on July 2 unanimously approved a special-use permit request by Dallas-based Hillwood Development Company to develop nearly 88 acres of the approximately 98-acre tract with a four-story building that will have a footprint of 680,000 square feet.<br />
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The nonprofit Garner Economic Development Corporation (GEDC)&mdash;established after ConAgra donated the site to the Town to take ownership of the property and oversee its redevelopment&mdash;closed on the sale of 88 acres of the property to Hillwood on Aug. 8.&nbsp;<br />
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&ldquo;This project meets the goals the GEDC set out to accomplish,&rdquo; GEDC board chair Bruce Andrews said. &ldquo;Sale of the property will allow us to continue to be an instrumental force in Garner&rsquo;s future economic development efforts.&rdquo;<br />
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Hillwood will partner with the Town and NCDOT to make critical road improvements along Jones Sausage Road and also the Jones Sausage/Garner Road intersection. This will benefit all motorists who traverse that area. The Town&rsquo;s portion of the cost of this road project will be relatively modest&shy;&shy;&mdash;approximately $600,000 of the overall estimated price tag of $5.1 million. NCDOT, subject to the availability of funds, is willing to commit up to $4.5 million in economic development funds toward proposed road improvements along Jones Sausage Road.<br />
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It is expected that the distribution center will add approximately $45 million annually in new payroll in Garner. &ldquo;That additional payroll will have positive ripple effects throughout our local economy,&rdquo; Garner Economic Development Director Joe Stallings said.<br />
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&ldquo;Today marks an exciting moment for the Town of Garner, Wake County and the Research Triangle region,&rdquo; said Michael Haley, executive director of Wake County Economic Development. &ldquo;This announcement is a great example of how a company can move into a town and have an immediate positive impact on the community by creating jobs, building the talent pipeline and investing in residents.&rdquo;<br />
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The project involves the successful repurposing of a brownfields site that had been dormant since the explosion at the former ConAgra plant. &ldquo;This is a major success story for the state&rsquo;s brownfields program. We&rsquo;re proud of the work we&rsquo;ve done with our partners with the state to land this project at this site,&rdquo; Stallings said.<br />
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The state defines a brownfields site as an abandoned, idled or underused property where the threat of environmental contamination has hindered its redevelopment. Under the North Carolina Brownfields Program, prospective developers negotiate a brownfields agreement with the program that defines activities needed to make the site suitable for reuse, rather than cleaning up the site to regulatory standards (which responsible parties are required to do). The developer is eligible for a property tax incentive lasting five years.&nbsp;<br />
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Others partnering with the Town on this project include Wake County, Wake County Economic Development, the North Carolina Community College System and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.<br />
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&ldquo;Wake County&rsquo;s skilled workforce, outstanding schools and high quality of life make it the perfect place for Amazon to locate this facility,&rdquo; Wake County Manager David Ellis said.&nbsp;<br />
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&ldquo;When we, as a board, made economic strength one of our goals, we envisioned attracting companies like Amazon to our community, so we can work together to offer skilled workers new employment and training opportunities that will lead to career growth and high quality of life,&rdquo; said Jessica Holmes, chairwoman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners.<br />
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&ldquo;Amazon is obviously a stable, fast-growing company, and they will be in this community for the long haul,&rdquo; Stallings said. &ldquo;We are thrilled to welcome the company to our community, and we know they will be a great addition to Garner.&rdquo;<br />
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For more information about this project or other economic development matters, please contact Joe Stallings at 919-773-4431 or at <a href="mailto:jstallings@garnernc.gov">jstallings@garnernc.gov</a>.<br />
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<img alt="" src="https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/443/Image/20180810amazon.png" style="width: 600px; height: 335px; margin: 10px;" /></span></span></p>
http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/welcome-to-the-chamber-weston-farms
Welcome to the Chamber, Weston Farms<span inline="" new="" style="color: rgb(23, 24, 29); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; font-family: Garamond, Georgia,;" times="">&ldquo;My vision was to grow a unique, enduring luxurious product on my family farm. I sold my first creations at a local farmer&rsquo;s market and grew the business from there,&rdquo; says Weston. Each year the product line has expanded and to date more than 10,000 trees have been planted at Weston Farms. The signature wreaths, garlands, and fresh Magnolia arrangements are now shipped nationwide throughout the year.<span>&nbsp;</span></span>We welcome Erin Weston and Weston Farms to the Garner Chamber of Commerce. To learn more about Weston Farms, visit: <a href="https://westonfarms.com/">https://westonfarms.com/</a><br />
&nbsp;http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/news-release-8-9-2018
Welcome to the Chamber, Ideal Senior Choice ConciergeHelp us welcome a new chamber member and Raleigh&#39;s newest senior care provider, Ideal Choice Senior Concierge Service; their goal is promoting seniors with healthy carefree living. Services include arranging doctors appointments, assisting with bills, grocery shopping, picking up medication and so much more.&nbsp;For more information, visit their website: <a href="https://www.senioridealchoice.com/">https://www.senioridealchoice.com/</a>http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/welcome-to-the-chamber-lularoe-holly-gorneau
Welcome to the Chamber, LuLaRoe Holly Gorneau<div class="_3-8w">The Chamber is pleased to welcome our new member LuLaRoe - Holly&nbsp;Gorneau. LuLaRoe&nbsp;is Simply Confortable! Affordable, modest, &amp; on trend women&#39;s clothing. Sizes XXS-3XL. Prices range from $25-$70. Host a pop up &amp; earn free clothes!! Check out LuLaRoe&#39;s styles at: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LuLaRoeHollyGorneau/">https://www.facebook.com/LuLaRoeHollyGorneau/</a></div>
http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/welcome-to-the-chamber-cte
Welcome to the Chamber CTE The Garner Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome CTE, Coles Travel and Events. CTE continues to bring quality event planning and marketing services to a wide range of clients including individuals, groups, adventure travelers, professional organizations, and small to mid-sized entrepreneurs.&nbsp;With more than 25 years of combined experience, CTE and its staff offers personalized service to make your event an overall success. It&#39;s all in the details!&nbsp;<br />
To learn more about CTE and their services, visit: <a href="https://www.ctellcglobal.com/">https://www.ctellcglobal.com/</a>&nbsp;or check out their&nbsp; Facebook page, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Coles-Travel-Events-LLC-CTE-1726808667638321/?fref=ts">http://www.facebook.com/Coles-Travel-Events-LLC-CTE-1726808667638321/?fref=ts</a>.http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/welcome-to-the-chamber-ellis-williams
Welcome to the Chamber Ellis WilliamsThe Chamber is pleased to welcome Ellis Williams as an individual member. Mr. Williams is&nbsp;retired from Glaxo Smith Kline where he served as a&nbsp;Senior IT Project Manager. We are delighted to have Mr. Williams join us.http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/fresenius-kidney-care-welcome-to-the-chamber
Fresenius Kidney Care - Welcome to the Chamber<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: rgb(27, 27, 27); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.8px; font-family: &quot;Ideal Sans A&quot;, &quot;Ideal Sans B&quot;, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; word-wrap: break-word; box-sizing: border-box; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Passionately committed to helping people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end stage renal disease (ESRD) lead fuller, more active and vibrant lives is what Fresenius Kidney Care is all about.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; color: rgb(27, 27, 27); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.8px; font-family: &quot;Ideal Sans A&quot;, &quot;Ideal Sans B&quot;, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; word-wrap: break-word; box-sizing: border-box; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">As a division of Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA),&nbsp;this network of companies is&nbsp;dedicated to one mission: providing superior care that improves the quality of life for every patient, every day.<span>&nbsp;Please stop by and see&nbsp;their new location off Timber Drive near White Oak. For more information, visit their website: www.FreseniusKidneyCare.com</span><br />
&nbsp;</p>
http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/connect-2018-sparks-passion-for-garner-business
CONNECT 2018 Sparks Passion For Garner Business <img alt="" src="https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/443/Image/Connect_Garner_North_Carolina_Realestate_Artistic_Storytelling_VMAstudios_Photographer_Aaron_186_92041.jpg" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; width: 300px; margin: 10px; height: 200px; float: right;" /><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Alaksha Surti and Jessica Throneburg were stay-at-home moms with a passion for entrepreneurship before they discovered their niche. Kentrell Perry was a businessman seeking a business before he found his opportunity.<br />
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Their startups were featured recently during the Connect Conference sponsored by the Garner Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Garner. More than 200 government officials and business people took part in the day-long conference that focused on business opportunities and the changing face of business in the community.<br />
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The stories of Surti, Throneburg and Perry were part of a segment on minority store owners following their passion to begin businesses.<br />
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<img alt="" src="https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/443/Image/Connect_Garner_North_Carolina_Realestate_Artistic_Storytelling_VMAstudios_Photographer_Aaron_197_9227.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 200px; margin: 10px; float: left;" />Throneburg&rsquo;s store, Little Details, started when she saw an opportunity to pursue what she had dreamed of after she was laid off from her job at N.C. State in 2011. She started her own on-line company in 2012 to sell items that she embroidered.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;I quickly realized that my sales were going to be limited by what I could produce, which wasn&rsquo;t going to be that much. I started adding some other items on my site,&rdquo; she said.<br />
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The business was growing until it came to an abrupt halt when her special needs child was born in January of 2015.&nbsp; The on-line site sat frozen in time for six months.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;I had no idea if my customers had moved on, but I wanted to get it going again,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Because I had such loyal customers, I was able to get back in business. &nbsp;I matched my revenues from the previous year although I was only open for six months.&rdquo;<br />
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The revenues of the e-commerce venture expanded so quickly that she opened her brick-and-mortar store at Garner Town Square in April 2017.<br />
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&ldquo;This is my passion,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m doing something that I love.&rdquo;<br />
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<img alt="" src="https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/443/Image/Connect_Garner_North_Carolina_Realestate_Artistic_Storytelling_VMAstudios_Photographer_Aaron_187_92061.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 200px; margin: 10px; float: right;" />Surti&rsquo;s tale is similar, but different. She grew up in India and for as long as she can remember, she loved to cook and to share her cooking. She went to school in Australia and worked in the hotel industry around the world before ending up in Wake County.<br />
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Cooking was more hobby than vocation, although sharing foods of her native land was a passion.&nbsp; She went to the Garner Chamber to learn about business opportunities in the food industry and Neal Padgett, the Chamber President, suggested she provide the food for a Chamber event.<br />
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That exposure led to catering jobs, which led to the Curry in a Hurry food truck. The success of the truck has inspired Surti to open a permanent Indian and Thai restaurant nearby.<br />
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Perry, who graduated from Garner Senior High in 2005, returned to the community after graduating from North Carolina A&amp;T with a business degree. He knew he wanted to own his own business and eventually decided to follow his mother into the hair-styling business.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/443/Image/Connect_Garner_North_Carolina_Realestate_Artistic_Storytelling_VMAstudios_Photographer_Aaron_190_9211.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 200px; margin: 10px; float: left;" />&ldquo;In business, you have to pay attention to the three Ps &ndash; people, product and process,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;My mother had mastered the people and the product, but the process needed improvement.&rdquo;<br />
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He enhanced the styling experience by tweaking the process as he created Locs, Naturals and More, a shop in the historic downtown Garner district.<br />
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&ldquo;I am a business man who happens to be in the hair styling business,&rdquo; Perry said.<br />
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The three business people told the conference that the key to their success has been community. Throneburg said her early customers&rsquo; loyalty saved her. Surti said other Garner business people nurtured her and helped teach her how to run a business.<br />
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Asked what she would do differently if she was starting over, Surti answered, &ldquo;Funding.&rdquo;&nbsp; The main thing she wishes she had known more about is financing for start-up businesses.&nbsp; If we could do it again, we would identify sources of funding other than personal.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Perry said he had no idea of the camaraderie among the merchants downtown.<br />
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&ldquo;It&rsquo;s like a family,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We do a lot of things together. We are very close, and it shows.&rdquo;<br />
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The sense of community in the Southern Wake County town was an underlying theme of the conference.<br />
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A trio of newcomers, including Charlie Brignac, who has moved 17 times, talked about being surprised by the small-town feel.&nbsp; Brignac said the first time he drove down a Garner street, he knew he wanted to someday live there.</span></span><br />
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Asked if there was a surprise learned after he moved to Garner, Darnell replied, &ldquo;Garner&rsquo;s cool factor.&rdquo;&nbsp; As examples of what makes Garner cool, Eric listed Garner&rsquo;s The Beerded Lady bottle shop, Full Bloom on Main Street, and Garner&rsquo;s Independence Day celebration at Lake Benson Park.<br />
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Jihan said she was surprised that she loves Garner so much that she started marketing to her friends.&nbsp; &ldquo;Several of my friends have joined me in Garner and I&rsquo;m working on several more. I&rsquo;m meeting with one of them this weekend!&rdquo;<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Cathy Moore was impressed when she was invited to the conference the day after she was named the Wake County Public Schools superintendent.&nbsp; Her husband, Tommy Moore, once taught and coached at North Carolina.<br />
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&ldquo;It is always surprising what emerges at Connect,&rdquo; said Padgett, the Garner Chamber president. &ldquo;Sometimes you go for a theme, like the changing faces of business, workers and the community this year.<br />
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&ldquo;And you get here and a new theme emerges. Today was all about passion. That&rsquo;s something you can&rsquo;t plan. That&rsquo;s something that people bring with them. Today turned out to be a day about passion for Garner.&rdquo;</span></span>http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/welcome-to-the-chamber-stewart
Welcome to the Chamber: Stewart<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.3em; padding: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; font-family: arial, arial; vertical-align: baseline; border: none; color: rgb(103, 103, 103);"><strong>Welcome to the Garner Chamber Stewart!&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong><img alt="" src="https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/443/Image/stewart_logo.png" style="width: 157px; height: 84px; float: right; margin: 10px;" /><br />
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Stewart is&nbsp;a design, engineering&nbsp;and planning firm located in Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte, NC, serving clients throughout the southeastern United States. Founded in 1994 by Willy E. Stewart, PE,&nbsp;the firm has more than 200 employees. Stewart is owned by a select group of professionals who are personally involved in our clients&rsquo; projects.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.3em; padding: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; font-family: arial, arial; vertical-align: baseline; border: none; color: rgb(103, 103, 103);">Stewart provides services in a variety of markets within the public and private sectors. Clients include education, healthcare, institutions, municipalities, architects, departments of transportation and the federal government, as well as commercial, retail, residential and mixed-use developers.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.3em; padding: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; font-family: arial, arial; vertical-align: baseline; border: none; color: rgb(103, 103, 103);">The firm is a certified Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) with the State of North Carolina through the Statewide Uniform Certification (SWUC) program. The firm is also a certified Small, Women, and Minority (SWaM) owned business with the Commonwealth of Virginia.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://stewartinc.com/company/">http://stewartinc.com/company/</a></p>
http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/news-release-8-3-2018
Garner Chamber Hires Kim Niskey to Lead Business Development<span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The Garner Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Kim Niskey as the Chamber&rsquo;s first Business Development Director.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad to have Kim on staff to lead the effort in spreading the word about the Garner Chamber.&nbsp; There&rsquo;s potential for growth both in Chamber membership and engagement.&nbsp; Kim has a proven track record for facilitating long-term value for Chamber members,&rdquo; President Neal Padgett said.<br />
&nbsp;<img alt="Photo by Aaron Lurie/VMA Studios" src="https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/443/Image/NiskeyatCONNECT2018CROPPED.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 276px; margin: 10px; float: right;" /><br />
Niskey previously led sales for the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce for over 6 years where she ranked top ten in the nation for chamber new member sales in 2015 and 2016.&nbsp; She is also a recipient of the Lifetime Platinum Achievement Award from the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Harvey Schmitt, President Emeritus of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, attested to Niskey&rsquo;s success in building business relationships in the Triangle.<br />
<br />
&nbsp;&ldquo;Kim worked for me at the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and was consistently one of our top sales producers over a six-year period. She has a strong work ethic, is a world-class networker and is committed to understanding her clients&rsquo; needs and helping them be successful. These attributes got results for the businesses she recruited and the Chamber,&rdquo; Schmitt said.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Niskey will recruit new members and build relationships with business professionals looking to expand their footprint in the greater Garner area.&nbsp; &ldquo;I am excited about this opportunity.&nbsp; The community is booming with optimism and Garner&rsquo;s potential is recognized throughout the region,&rdquo; Niskey said.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
<em>The Garner Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting a vibrant business environment by cooperative interaction among business, government and community.<br />
&nbsp;</em></span></span>http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/edward-jones-awards-mary-elizabeth-twiddy-07-23-2018
Edward Jones Awards Mary Elizabeth TwiddyMary Elizabeth Twiddy of the financial services firm Edward Jones recently won the firm&#39;s coveted Ted Jones Prospecting Award, which recognizes financial advisors who achieve high levels of success early in their careers.&nbsp; Twiddy was one of only 1,215 of the firm&#39;s more than 16,000 financial advisors to receive the award.<br />
<br />
Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in St. Louis, provides financial services in the U.S. and, through its affiliate, in Canada.&nbsp; Every aspect of the firm&#39;s business, from the investments its financial advisors offer to the location of its branch offices, caters to individual investors.&nbsp; The firm&#39;s 16,000-plus financial advisors serve more than 7 million clients and care for $1 trillion in assets under management.&nbsp; Visit the firm&#39;s website at <a href="http://www.edwardjones.com">www.edwardjones.com</a> and its recruiting website at <a href="http://www.careers.edwardjones.com">www.careers.edwardjones.com</a>.&nbsp; Member SIPC<br />
<br />
Congratulations Mary Elizabeth!http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/welcome-to-the-chamber-maser-consulting-p-a
Welcome to the Chamber Maser Consulting, P.A.<span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The Garner Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Maser Consulting, P.A. This nationwide, privately owned, multi-discipline engineering firm has consistently been recognized by Engineering News Record as one of its Top 500 Design Firms and employs more than 700 professionals.<br />
<br />
With a unique balance of public and private sector experience, Maser Consulting operates on the core values of advancement, professionalism, teamwork, safety and responsiveness. Their extensive team includes professionals from Licensed Professional Engineers to Licensed Professional Geologists, and everything in between. The company&rsquo;s culture establishes a strong foundation of professionals who provide clients with the highest level of service and quality, and is the foundation of their success.<br />
<br />
For more information about Maser Consulting, visit <a href="http://www.maserconsulting.com">www.maserconsulting.com</a> or check out their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/MaserConsulting/about/?ref=page_internal">Facebook</a>.</span></span>http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/s-p-boosts-garner-s-bond-rating-to-aaa
S&P Boosts Garner's Bond Rating to AAA<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; color: rgb(44, 43, 42); font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: black;">Standard &amp; Poor&rsquo;s Global Ratings on July 19 boosted its long-term rating from AA+ to AAA on the Town of Garner&rsquo;s general obligation (GO) bonds. The rating upgrade comes less than a month before an approximately $4 million GO bond issuance by the Town.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: black;">In summarizing its rationale for the improved rating, S&amp;P said: &ldquo;The rating action reflects our view of the town&rsquo;s maintenance of extremely strong reserve and liquidity positions; improvement in the town&rsquo;s financial practices management and policies, including the formalized implementation of a capital improvement plan; and robust economic development and planning initiatives.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: black;">It is considered extremely difficult for a municipality Garner&rsquo;s size to earn a AAA rating from S&amp;P. The Town joins about a dozen other AAA-rated jurisdictions in the region. Several of those jurisdictions&mdash;municipalities such as Cary, Durham and Raleigh and counties such as Wake, Orange and Durham&mdash;are considerably larger than Garner.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: black;">&ldquo;This improved bond rating is another strong indication of our credit worthiness,&rdquo; Mayor Ronnie Williams said. &ldquo;There are no guarantees, but a AAA rating&mdash;which is outstanding for a town of our size&mdash;could result in better interest rates and terms for future borrowings and bond issuances. The Town Council and staff have worked extraordinarily hard in recent years to implement the fiscal policies and practices that have put us in this enviable position.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: black;">In April 2017, Moody&rsquo;s Investors Service raised its bond rating for the Town from Aa2 to Aa1, which is also considered to be an outstanding rating for a jurisdiction Garner&rsquo;s size.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: black;">&ldquo;The rating upgrades from S&amp;P and Moody&rsquo;s are a sign of all the positive things going on in Garner and a testament to the great work done by Town staff over an extended period of time,&rdquo; Town Manager Rodney Dickerson said.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: black;">In its report released yesterday, S&amp;P highlighted Garner&rsquo;s &ldquo;strong economy, with access to a broad and diverse metropolitan statistical area.&rdquo; It observed that &ldquo;economic development activity within the town remains vibrant&rdquo; with the value of building permits in the past fiscal year hitting a 10-year high. The agency also noted that Garner had the second-highest number of commercial permits in Wake County in 2017, trailing only Raleigh.<span class="m_3850302622199630676apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: black;">Looking ahead, S&amp;P said Garner &ldquo;is set to benefit significantly from continued improvements to the transportation infrastructure in the Raleigh area, including connections with the Raleigh public transit system and the completion of I-540.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: black;">The report praised Garner&rsquo;s strong management and strong financial policies and practices. It noted that the Town enjoyed &ldquo;strong budgetary performance, with operating surpluses in the general fund and at the total governmental fund level in fiscal 2017&rdquo; and &ldquo;very strong budgetary flexibility, with an available fund balance in fiscal 2017 of 71% of operating expenditures.&rdquo;</span></span></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: black;">The GO bonds that the Town will issue next month are a portion of the $35.7 in bonds authorized by Garner voters in 2013 for parks and recreation, streets and sidewalks, public safety and services facilities, and redevelopment. To date, the Town has issued approximately $24.5 million of those bonds to fund projects such as a new Town Hall and police station, sidewalks in numerous parts of town, dog parks and other park improvements, and the Garner Recreation Center, which is slated to be completed later this year.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: black;">For more information about the Town of Garner, visit&nbsp;</span><u><span style="color: rgb(39, 114, 174);">GarnerNC.gov.</span></u></span></span></p>
http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/news-release-7-18-2018summer-food-program-offering-lunches-at-community-of-hope
Summer Food Program Offering Lunches at Community of Hope<p style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The Wake County Summer Food Program provides&nbsp;<strong>free meals to young people</strong>&nbsp;18 and under who receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year. This year, Garner has its first open food site at&nbsp;<strong>Community of Hope Ministries</strong>&nbsp;(located on the First Baptist Church of Garner campus, 601 St. Mary&#39;s St., right off of Benson Road). Any eligible youth may attend for free meals; no registration or application required.</span></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The site serves lunch&nbsp;<strong><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_740341761" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span>&nbsp;through&nbsp;<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_740341762" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span>,&nbsp;<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_740341763" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">11:30 a.m.&ndash; 1 p.m.</span></span></strong>&nbsp;It ends its summer food program on&nbsp;<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_740341764" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Aug. 3</span></span>.</span></span></p>
<div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">In addition to free meals, food sites offer fun, educational activities and opportunities for kids to remain active during the summer. Community of Hope has nutrition education materials and activities to help kids have an enjoyable summer and remain nutritionally healthy.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/443/Image/COHM.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 847px;" /></span></span></p>
</div>
http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/welcome-to-the-chamber-york-properties
Welcome to the Chamber York Properties<span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The Garner Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome York Properties. &nbsp;Founded in 1910, York Properties has served the Raleigh area and beyond for more than 100 years and remains to be one of the oldest commercial real estate companies in the Triangle. The company&rsquo;s mission is to be the <span style="background:white;"><span style="color:#1D2129;">best commercial real estate services company in the Triangle and the Crystal Coast of NC by enhancing quality of life through active community involvement.</span></span><br />
<br />
&ldquo;We can attribute our longevity to a deep philosophy in being fair and honest. We are a down-to-earth group that has close ties to the Triangle and are mindful of our responsibility to have a positive impact on our community.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
Over the years, the scope of the company has broadened and the stewardship to C.V. York&rsquo;s legacy remains today under the fourth generation of York leadership. The company&rsquo;s commitment to serving the needs of their clients through securing exceptional financial outcomes and serving their neighbors in the Triangle through volunteerism and philanthropic efforts ensures the continuity of York service for the next 100 years.<br />
<br />
For more information about York Properties, visit <a href="http://www.yorkproperties.com/">http://www.yorkproperties.com</a>.</span></span>http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/will-garner-have-the-triangle-s-biggest-highway-interchange
Will Garner have the Triangle's biggest highway interchange?<span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="text-transform:uppercase;"><span style="color:black;">BY RICHARD STRADLING</span></span><br />
<em><span style="color:#9E9CA1;"><a href="mailto:rstradling@newsobserver.com"><span style="color:#428BCA;">rstradling@newsobserver.com</span></a></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color:black;"><a href="tel:919-829-4739" target="_blank"><span style="color:#428BCA;">919-829-4739</span></a></span></em><br />
<br />
<span style="color:black;">Completing the final sections of the 540 loop road around Raleigh will mean building what could be the largest and most complicated highway interchange in the Triangle.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color:black;">N.C. 540, the Triangle Expressway, will meet Interstate 40 south of Garner at the spot where the U.S. 70 Bypass now splits off heading east into Johnston County. That will create a confluence of three interstate-grade highways at an interchange that will cover some 650 acres, an area more than two times the size of Raleigh&rsquo;s Dix Park.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/443/Image/20180316540biggestinterchange.PNG" style="width: 600px; height: 345px;" /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color:black;">To make the design more challenging, the Triangle Expressway is a toll road, and N.C. Department of Transportation engineers have included separate exit ramps from I-40 to make sure drivers don&#39;t accidentally get on it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color:black;">The design they came up with looks like nothing in the Triangle now. It&rsquo;s dominated by a large exit and entrance ramp connecting I-40 and N.C. 540 that will circle where the five legs of the highways meet. A rendering of the interchange elicited a wave of murmurs when it was flashed on the big screen&nbsp;<a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/news/traffic/article201735499.html" target="_self"><span style="color:#428BCA;">at a public hearing at Wake Tech Community College</span></a>&nbsp;last month.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color:black;">The interchange is a custom design, chosen from several versions that NCDOT engineers sketched out. They could not simply copy one from elsewhere, because they needed to work with the I-40/U.S. 70 interchange that is already there, said Roy Bruce, the senior project manager for the project, which NCDOT calls Complete 540.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color:black;">Bruce said it makes sense for the Triangle Expressway to cross I-40 at this spot, so that traffic to and from Eastern North Carolina can move seamlessly between N.C. 540 and U.S. 70.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color:black;">&quot;It gives us continuity,&quot; he said.</span><br />
&nbsp;<br />
<span style="color:black;">There will be some tight loop ramps, including the existing one from westbound U.S. 70 onto eastbound I-40. But many of the other ramps, including the big circular one, are large enough that drivers can go 55 mph from one highway to the next.</span><br />
&nbsp;<br />
<span style="color:black;">N.C. 540 will come over the top of the two existing roads, so at some points there will be three levels of highway. But with I-40 already depressed here, and the large circular ramp system to spread things out, there will be no soaring ramps like those seen in urban areas such as Los Angeles or suburban Washington, D.C. At its highest point, N.C. 540 will be 45 feet above I-40, Bruce said.</span><br />
&nbsp;<br />
<span style="color:black;">&quot;It is relatively flat,&quot; he said.</span><br />
&nbsp;<br />
<span style="color:black;">And while it&#39;s difficult to follow your path through the tangle of loops and ramps on paper, drivers won&#39;t find it nearly so confusing, said Rodger Rochelle, the N.C. Turnpike Authority&#39;s chief engineer.</span><br />
&nbsp;<br />
<span style="color:black;">&ldquo;It looks complicated when we look down on a map, but it&rsquo;s actually going to be pretty simple for the driver,&rdquo; Rochelle said.</span><br />
&nbsp;<br />
<span style="color:black;">The interchange is part of the final 28.4 miles of N.C. 540 that will connect Holly Springs with U.S. 64/264 near Knightdale. The&nbsp;<a href="https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/PDEA/Web/Complete540/final-eis/_C540_FEIS_Dec_21_2017_online.pdf"><span style="text-decoration:none;text-underline:none;"><span style="color:#428BCA;">Final Environmental Impact Statement,</span></span></a>&nbsp;a report that spells out the possible effects of the project on the natural and human environment, was released Dec. 22, putting the state on a schedule to begin buying property this summer and starting construction early next year.</span><br />
&nbsp;<br />
<span style="color:black;">The state already owns 450 of the 650 acres needed for the interchange. The additional 200 acres will include five houses on a secluded dead-end section of New Bethel Church Road that will disappear.</span><br />
&nbsp;<br />
<span style="color:black;">The road is expected to cost $2.24 billion to design and build; NCDOT has not determined a separate price for the big interchange.</span><br />
&nbsp;<br />
<span style="color:black;">The final designs will be done by contractors chosen to build the road. Rochelle and they may come up with something different for the big interchange, as long as it achieves the same results with the same or less real estate and environmental impacts.</span><br />
&nbsp;<br />
<span style="color:black;">&ldquo;Other than that, we&rsquo;re open to other ideas,&quot; he said. &quot;We think we&rsquo;ve got a good solution, but we would be remiss if we said we had the best solution.&rdquo;</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color:black;">For more information about Complete 540, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/complete540/" target="_self"><span style="color:#428BCA;">www.ncdot.gov/projects/complete540/</span></a>.</span><br />
&nbsp;<br />
<a href="http://? http://www.newsobserver.com/news/traffic/article204667039.html">For the article and video in News &amp; Observer, click here.</a></span></span><br />
&nbsp;http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/news-release-3-16-2018-5458
Baker Roofing moving to new Garner home!<div><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:18px;">Baker Roofing moving to new Garner home!</span><br />
<br />
The new owner of an old Kmart-anchored shopping center in Garner, just across the south Raleigh border, has plans in the works to revamp the property with extensive renovations and new construction.<br />
&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/443/Image/20180316BakerRoofing.PNG" style="width: 478px; height: 347px; margin: 10px;" /><br />
Baker Roofing,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/1997/12/22/focus7.html" target="_blank">a company with a long history in Raleigh</a>&nbsp;and a reach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2005/12/05/story5.html" target="_blank">across the South</a>, purchased the 29-acre site at 4300 Fayetteville Road, currently home to a Sears. The price tag: $8.6 million. But that investment is just the beginning, says Prentis Baker III, Baker Roofing chairman.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
With residential and commercial business continuing to ramp up, the firm has been on the hunt for a new Raleigh office. The company has been at its current location, at 517 Mercury St., since 1972. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve outgrown our facilities and space over here,&rdquo; Baker says. &ldquo;Parking is a huge problem for us.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
But significant work is required at the shopping center to prep it for the roofing company. The property lacks a shop yard. The building also needs a new roof, something that Baker knows a bit about. Renovations to the exterior of the building will be at least a year-long process, he says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to take a while. We&rsquo;ve got a lot of work to do to the building inside and out,&rdquo; Baker says.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
In the meantime, Baker says the firm is in talks with a national company about developing more square-footage on 3 acres of the property&rsquo;s street frontage, along Fayetteville Road.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
More changes could be in the works for the property, he says. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got a big spacious area there and we have a lot of potential and possibilities,&rdquo; Baker says.<br />
<br />
The company&rsquo;s existing location is near downtown Raleigh. Baker says there are no long-term plans to sell the property.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Kmart announced it was closing the Garner location in 2013. The old shell, now filled partly by Sears, consists of 170,740 square feet and is 77 percent leased. Baker Roofing purchased it from Soad Properties LLC, an entity managed by Issa Shaikh. Shaikh owns several commercial and residential properties throughout southern Wake County.<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
Baker Roofing provides a variety of roofing services, from installation to waterproofing. Based on total revenue, Baker Roofing is the third largest roofing contractor in country, according to the International Roofing Expo.</span></span></div>
http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/news-release-3-14-2018-5453
Garner makes top-5 great cities for millennial homebuyers!<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">By Natalie Campisi<br />
March 6, 2018 &nbsp;in&nbsp; <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/"><span style="color:blue;">Mortgages</span></a><br />
&nbsp;<br />
<span style="color:black;">For millennials who are ready to become homeowners, findi</span>ng an affordable house in a&nbsp;great community can be challenging. With housing inventory historically low, real estate in major metro areas is at a premium. It&rsquo;s no surprise, then, that young buyers are moving to the suburbs, according to the&nbsp;2017&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/nar-survey-finds-gen-x-on-the-mend-more-children-living-with-millennials-and-boomers" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue;">Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report</span></a>&nbsp;by the National Association of Realtors.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Among millennials surveyed, 57 percent bought a house in the suburbs, spending an average of $205,000. Meanwhile, only 12 percent bought in an urban or central city. Affordability, convenience to work and neighborhood quality were among the top requirements for these buyers.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Using&nbsp;this information, we identified five cities that offer some combination of&nbsp;affordable housing, economic growth,&nbsp;job opportunities, proximity to major metro areas and&nbsp;recreational activities.<br />
<br />
Great cities for millennial homebuyers:</span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="line-height:normal;">
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Lancaster, Pennsylvania.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li style="line-height:normal;">
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Columbus, Ohio.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li style="line-height:normal;">
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Garner, North Carolina.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li style="line-height:normal;">
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">St. Petersburg, Florida.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li style="line-height:normal;">
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">West Des Moines, Iowa.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><span style="font-size:20px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Garner, North Carolina</span></span></h3>
<ul>
<li style="line-height:normal;">
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>Population: </strong>28,776</span></span></p>
</li>
<li style="line-height:normal;">
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>Median value of housing: </strong>$164,800</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">This small town is&nbsp;about&nbsp;6 miles south of Raleigh and is also near the Research Triangle, which includes Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.<br />
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For people who work in any of these areas, Garner offers&nbsp;more affordable housing than some of the other nearby communities.<br />
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Garner&rsquo;s&nbsp;business landscape&nbsp;is a mixture information, utilities, retail and public administration. Companies like Butterball and Direct Distributors are headquartered in Garner. The median household income in Garner is $59,812, above the national median of $57,617, according to census data.<br />
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Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate Garner&rsquo;s 1,200 acres of parkland and open space. White Deer Park offers bikers, runners and walkers&nbsp;2 miles of paved trails, playgrounds, an arboretum and a 2,500-square-foot nature center.<br />
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Garner also has a mix of chain stores, shopping plazas&nbsp;and locally owned businesses. Local watering holes, like The Beerded Lady, offer a place for residents to see live music.<br />
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<a href="https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/great-cities-for-millennial-homebuyers/">Click here for entire article</a>.</span></span></p>
http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/raffle-photos-thank-you-vma
Raffle Photos...Thank you VMA!Thank you Aaron Lurie/VMA&nbsp;for so creatively and beautifully capturing the Chamber 2018 Reverse Raffle/Auction/Taste of the Town!<br />
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Check out the photos of $5k winner Jason Peacock/Peacock Drywall and of 400 guests having a blast at an action-packed evening!<br />
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<a href="https://photos.shutterfly.com/story/id/60209795522">Click here to check out the photos.</a><br />
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<img alt="" src="https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/443/Image/2018039rafflewinnerJason.PNG" style="width: 600px; height: 399px;" />http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/big-news-complete-540-highway-project-ahead-of-schedule
Big News! Complete 540 highway project ahead of schedule <strong><span style="color:#222222;"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;">Big News! Complete 540 highway project ahead of schedule&nbsp;</span></span></span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#222222;">By&nbsp;</span><a data-ct="APT: Reporter byline name" href="https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/bio/11881/Lauren+K.+Ohnesorge" style="box-sizing:border-box;transition:color 0.1s ease-out;"><span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;"><span style="color:#B82C2E;">Lauren K. Ohnesorge</span></span></a><span style="color:#222222;">&nbsp;<span style="box-sizing:border-box;">&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;Senior Staff Writer, Triangle Business Journal</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2017/12/22/big-news-complete-540-highway-project-ahead-of.html">For full article in Triangle&nbsp; Business Journal</a><br />
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<span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#222222;">Officials have signed off on the final environmental impact statement for a project known as Complete 540 &ndash; and it&rsquo;s ahead of schedule.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">Initially, the North Carolina Department of Transportation&rsquo;s N.C. Turnpike Authority had expected to receive Federal Highway Administration approval for the document in mid-2018.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">The just-obtained FHA approval is a key step toward the construction of the final section of the $2.2 billion project, which will extend the Triangle Expressway from the N.C. 55 Bypass in Apex to the U.S. 64/U.S. 264 Bypass in Knightdale, completing the 540 Outer Loop around the greater Raleigh area.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">Officials say the project, if built, will link the towns of Apex, Cary, Clayton, Garner, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs and Raleigh.</span><br />
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<strong style="box-sizing:border-box;"><span style="color:#222222;">Why it matters</span></strong><span style="color:#222222;">:</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;"><a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/search/results?q=Danna%20Widmar" style="box-sizing:border-box;transition:color 0.1s ease-out, border-color 0.1s ease-out;border-bottom:rgba(184, 44, 46, 0.25);"><span style="color:#B82C2E;">Danna Widmar</span></a>, director of special projects with the town of Cary, says that, by pulling traffic off of heavily-trafficked roads such as I-440 and I-40, the project could speed up commutes throughout the Triangle.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a congestion relief element that does impact, basically, right through the center of the region, so providing this alternative is really going to be helpful for Cary, Raleigh, everybody,&rdquo; Widmar says.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">Joe Milazzo, executive director of the Regional Transportation Alliance calls the project &quot;critical&quot; for the future of regional mobility.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">&ldquo;It helps build a reliant highway network for our market now and as we grow,&rdquo; he says.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">Economic development consultant and retired Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce CEO Harvey Schmitt says the Complete 540 project opens up the southern part of Wake County for expanded development and new commercial, industrial and office opportunities.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">When recruiting companies, infrastructure is a critical selling point, he explains.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">&ldquo;People want to be able to get their workers in and out or their products in and out,&quot; he says. &quot;And just as important is quality of life. People move here for the quality &ndash; they don&rsquo;t want to get stuck in traffic... You want the people who sign up to move here today to have largely the same experience that they have now, 20 years from now.&rdquo;</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">In 2017 alone, multiple major job announcements have happened in Wake County all with the potential to bring more commuters to the highways. A variety of companies have zeroed in on the Triangle, from Infosys,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2017/09/06/1m-grant-approvedto-attract-infosys-to-raleigh.html" style="box-sizing:border-box;transition:color 0.1s ease-out, border-color 0.1s ease-out;border-bottom:rgba(184, 44, 46, 0.25);" target="_blank"><span style="color:#B82C2E;">which is bringing a 2,000-job tech hub to Raleigh</span></a>&nbsp;to Conduent, a&nbsp;<a data-ct="APT:bbm_profile_link" href="http://companies.bizjournals.com/profile/xerox/127830/" style="box-sizing:border-box;transition:color 0.1s ease-out, border-color 0.1s ease-out;border-bottom:rgba(184, 44, 46, 0.25);"><span style="color:#B82C2E;">Xerox</span></a>&nbsp;spin-out&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2017/12/18/conduent-to-open-200-job-2-7m-hub-in-morrisville.html" style="box-sizing:border-box;transition:color 0.1s ease-out, border-color 0.1s ease-out;border-bottom:rgba(184, 44, 46, 0.25);" target="_blank"><span style="color:#B82C2E;">which recently announced plans to hire 200 new positions in Morrisville</span></a>.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">Investments in projects like Complete 540 shows officials are thinking about the future, Schmitt says.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">But the project is still a monumental effort - and one that will require much more planning in the days to come, transportation officials say.</span><br />
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<strong style="box-sizing:border-box;"><span style="color:#222222;">What&#39;s next</span></strong><span style="color:#222222;">:</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">For the overall project, the state now expects 217 relocations, five of which are businesses. Rodger Rochelle, director of business affairs for the N.C. Turnpike Authority, says that, from a relocation standpoint, it&rsquo;s actually the &ldquo;least impactful&rdquo; of the alternatives his agency evaluated.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">&ldquo;Keep in mind, this study is for a project that&rsquo;s nearly 30 miles long and completes 540 &ndash; that&rsquo;s a lot of project,&rdquo; he says.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Beau Memory, executive director for the N.C. Turnpike Authority, says that, as the approval was just obtained Thursday, it&rsquo;s hard to say when the next phase of the project could break ground.<br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">He expects the told to &ldquo;largely be in line with where the Triangle Expressway is.&rdquo;</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">His team plans to use the environmental reviews targeted for 2018, as well as public comments, to create documentation for a Record of Decision, the last federal approval that will be required for the project to break ground.</span><br />
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<span style="color:#222222;">&ldquo;This is a critical milestone in the sense that this prepares us to go back out to the public a final time and get their comments,&quot; Memory says of the latest approval.</span><br />
<span style="color:#222222;">For comments to be included as part of the public record for the Final Environmental Impact Statement comment period, they must be received by February 1, 2018.</span><br />
&nbsp;</span></span>http://business.garnerchamber.com/news/details/news-release-1-30-2017
Editorial: There is great value in community arts<h3><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:20px;">Editorial:&nbsp; There is great value in community arts</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Garner-Cleveland Record<br />
January 29, 2017<br />
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Garner is, indeed, fortunate to have a robust arts community in its midst. From Broadway performers to community theater to public school teachers who are passionate advocates of the arts, Garner has a lot to offer its residents and, frankly, for anyone who&rsquo;s willing to make the short drive to Garner from neighboring communities.<br />
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Arts add to the quality of life in any community. Whether it&rsquo;s going to a movie theater to watch actors on the silver screen or supporting a local elementary school student&rsquo;s efforts to become more civically aware, every contact we have with the arts improves our lives.<br />
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Towns like Garner sell quality of life when they are working with business magnates to encourage them to do business in Garner. Arts add immeasurably to the quality of life.<br />
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When companies decide they want to operate from Garner they are thinking, in part, about the people they will employ. Will their children be going to good schools? Yes. Will those employees have access to things to do and places to eat after work? Yes and yes.<br />
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It&rsquo;s all part of a circle that economic developers depend on when they are selling their product. Garner, as a product for sale, is a good buy. Home prices are reasonable. Access to major highways is good and getting better. There are plenty of opportunities for people in Garner to stay in Garner to be entertained.<br />
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When one considers the depth and breadth of Garner&rsquo;s cultural offerings it is equally impressive to note that there is a burgeoning private sector involvement in the arts. Alongside what the town offiers, the Chamber of Commerce brings high-quality entertainment to Garner in the form of the Broadway Voices series. The Garner Towne Players offer evidence that Garner residents are not only attending cultural events, but creating them.<br />
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Garner has no time to rest on its laurels, but there is no doubt that the quality of life for people who call Garner home has been raised considerably by the powerful presence of an active arts community.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/garner-cleveland-record/gcr-opinion/article128986099.html">http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/garner-cleveland-record/gcr-opinion/article128986099.html</a><br />
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